Consolation
by Expression-Through-Ink
Summary: For a Goddess of Light, she was filled with an overwhelming darkness that threatened to engulf her. She was susceptible to the oily, black waves of sadness, loneliness, guilt and suffering, and that constantly threatened her being and her people. But her angel was the light that held the darkness at bay. *Set before the events of Uprising*
1. Chapter 1

Rarely did anybody consider being a goddess lonesome, but the Goddess of light did frequently. She supposed that she was effected more than any other deity because she had spent so much of her life intertwined with her sister. Light and dark, once perfectly balanced. Being isolated assisted guilt in its quest to envelope her being.

She also wondered whether it was the humans that made her feel alone. She watched them sometimes, as they slowly built settlements and alliances. She could watch towns and cities being erected, and all the strife and pain that brought the people ever closer to their ideal world. Occasionally, she would observe men and woman find love. Even less often, she would help them make their lives whole under the guise of a human, just to get a taste of what humankind was internally. It seemed that every person in the human world depended on others, and balanced each other out. Once, it had seemed strange to watch the people age and grow so quickly, and then get snuffed out like a flame. Their lives flickered like a flame: bright and short-lived. She was eternal, and they were not.

She was not truly alone though. She was surrounded by her centurions, who she knew were devoted to her. She could imagine that they had real minds and souls, but she could not hide the truth from herself. They were, essentially, fragments of herself. She had created them - crafted them from her own life force - to fight. She did not like to consider sending live habitants of Skyworld to battle. Even so, when any member of her army fell, she felt a twinge of sadness. She was too soft.

"Lady Palutena?"  
"Yes?"  
"The situation is grave."  
She sighed deeply. "I know."  
"Soon, your participation will become necessary."  
"That's fine."  
"Prepare yourself, please."

She studied the centurion for a brief second. She could almost hear the clockwork of his mind whir, following the program that she had embedded in the warrior. She drew her attention to her staff. A chaotic view was distorted by the curvature of the sapphire, but it seemed real enough to scare the Goddess. Everything was red. She thought that she could feel the pieces of her soul slipping away as her centurions were mowed down by the dark forces. She could heal them. They could be resurrected.

But not the angels.

She couldn't stand the gore. It sent nausea creeping through her system, and terrified her beyond any fear she could have ever felt before. The silly, sweet angels stood no chance but they stood up and fought for her. They fought for nothing other than their home. She wished that they would not. It was all her fault. She had sent them to a massacre.

She wished that someone could take back her mistakes. She should not have acted so hastily when Medusa attacked for the first time. She was scared then too. But that did not justify the curse she had inflicted upon her own sister. Now, her angels were dying by Darkness's own hand.

"I want to help now." She demanded to nobody in particular.  
"It would not be wise, Lady Palutena. If you die, we all fall."  
"You can't tell me what to do!" Palutena snarled at the innocent creature, but she waited all the same. She detested letting more of her people get killed, but she resolved herself with the fact that her life force was theirs. If Medusa succeeded in destroying her soul, they would not live to see the consequences.

Abruptly, she heard the clatter of claws on the glassy floor of her temple. Only a few moments before the massacre truly begun. She was sure that she could hear the hasty steps of countless enemies tumbling down the steps towards her. The door, it was being battered down. She could hear the distressed yelps and hisses. She swept her delicate fingers over the gem on her staff, shutting off the stream of battle scenes. It was about to get much more realistic. Her staff glowed with astounding power that charged slowly but surely. Light was a weapon that could not be underestimated. It could burn a victim beyond recognition.

The door blew open, tossing charred splinters at the intruders. Her feet left the ground as she plowed through the masses of malevolent creatures, burning and blinding them mercilessly. The anguish and anger turned her something she had never been before: violent. She wanted nothing less than for every enemy that had harmed her world to be exterminated. She relentlessly tore through the palace, nothing short of malevolent herself. Tears slipped from her hard, emerald eyes as she continued to kill.

* * *

Could it be considered a victory?

Medusa was long gone, along with her forces. They were dead. But so was Skyworld. The walls and flowers of the city had been abolished, and the creamy marble of the place was blackened and flooded with red. It was the bodies that she could not face though. The heaped piles of lifeless shells. However, she could not ignore them as she walked through the broken roads. They had given their lives for the world she had created. How could it have got so out of hand? She could have saved lives if she had acted sooner. She felt drained and achy - an entirely foreign sensation for her. Again, she focused on resurrecting a fallen centurion.

The angels were too hard to heal. They carried their life force in their wings, and so it cost vast amounts of energy to resurrect an individual, let alone the population of Skyworld. She told herself that that was the price she had to pay for living residents. She could not make that mistake again. Palutena's own life force regenerated, so she could help the centurions. An angel's soul was theirs and theirs alone.

She stopped. Movement. She could sense it. A steady rythmn that thumped over and over. A heartbeat. A life. Through the alleys and passages, she could tell. She followed it, desperately clawing for a light in the darkness. She paused again, infront of the modest door to a humble home. She could hear the snuffling, sleeping sound of a baby. She pushed open the door, unfamiliar with the hard, wood material. She caught sight of the cradle.

Palutena scooped the tranquil boy into her arms. She was mindful of the downy, grey wings that fluttered in the cool breeze, as she held him closer. Perhaps he had slept through the entire battle. Somehow, he had gone unnoticed in the midst of a terrible war. She kissed him on his thick, brown locks gently, almost as if to prove to herself that he was real. A survivor.

With a simple thought, she summoned a newly-resurrected centurion to her presence. She turned to him with the angelic child in her arms.  
"Prepare a room in my temple for this baby."  
The warriors face registered no obvious surprise at his mistress's decision. "Yes, Lady Palutena."  
The child stirred and yawned, but did not cry. It seemed that he was comfortable in her aura of benevolence. She reminded herself that she could no longer consider herself benevolent after her fearsome display of power.

The boy wriggled, so the Goddess carefully nestled him safely in her arms with inexperienced hands. She watched him for a moment, caught up in his tiny movements. Eventually, he opened his eyes so that the Goddess of Light could watch the light reflect off his sapphire eyes.

* * *

Author's Notes: I've always wondered how Pit and Palutena ended up so close, and I figured that she literally took him in. I know that it isn't an original concept by any means, but I didn't know where the story was heading until the first bit about the centurions. I think more will be up if it's wanted :)


	2. Chapter 2

Palutena was never Pit's 'mother'. Nor was she his 'mama' or his 'mummy'. She was a goddess, and she made sure that he knew that. She was 'Lady Palutena', and she introduced herself that way as soon as he was able to understand. She considered herself his patron or mentor, but whenever she learnt something new, she smiled. Whenever he giggled, she laughed. She loved him.

She was ashamed of him though. The other deities would only see the exterior of her decision; to them, she'd taken in the last angel as a pet. She had not. Pit would never survive without the shelter, care and synthetic milk she gave him. He would uphold his ancestors' legacy, and that was why he lived with her.

His constant wailing was degrading though. She supposed that the centurions could look after him, but she didn't trust any other with the mischievous boy, so she ended up devoting most of her spare time to him. When she was not repairing Skyworld or sorting out human spats, she was sitting with him. Having a child in her care brought forth many surprising emotions in her. She felt embarrassed when she sat the winged boy on her lap, and played with him. That was her badly kept secret. She loved being near him, for his small actions brought her an unreasonable sense of happiness. Before taking him in, she had not considered children, for she was a goddess and was supposed to be above that.

She peered over the edge of the ornate cradle at the boy. He already had a healthy head of fluffy, brown hair and wide, inquisitive blue eyes. He often had a baffled expression on his face, as if he could not make sense of the world around him. "Is something not to your liking, Pit?" Palutena asked idly, as she picked up a heavy, leather book from its position by the cot. She sat down and flicked through the tome quickly.

The book was titled 'Origins of Angels and Famous Heroes'. The information she needed was about how to raise an angel, but there were no books about that. She had to read between the lines to discover anything. She glared at the words with puzzlement evident on her face. She had already worked out that angels could be immortal, and that they only died in battle or when they no longer had the will to live. They aged very slowly; at least twice as slowly as humans.

She sat back, and exhaled slowly. She listened silently as the baby across the room gurgled and huffed. He needed proper love. A love that she could not hope to give him. She had no knowledge of the task that she had taken on, and for once, she had no idea of what the future would bring. She plucked him from the nearby cradle, and held him close. He had a calming affect upon her - his presence reminded her that he was worth caring for.

* * *

Skyworld was nearly beyond repair. Nearly. She spent hours at a time, working, to restore the land to its former beauty. It was an exhausting and heart-wrenching experience, that drained her energy quickly. The thing she hated most was the colours. She had never considered Skyworld to be white, but a soft, golden shade. It had become grey and black. To her, it symbolised how darkness had almost dominated her realm.

Palutena walked through the crumbled city slowly, twirling her staff in her hand. She left a trail of pristine white, which she glanced back at occasionally. It was heartening; she was making progress, slowly but surely. Suddenly, she collapsed onto her knees on the cobblestone streets. That was enough for the day. She could not continue. She rose to her feet shakily. Before the recent disaster, she would never display such weakness anywhere, but there was nobody to see her. She could feel that heavily on her back. Who was she recreating Skyworld for? Certainly not the angels.

She did not have enough magic to take herself straight back to the palace, so she trudged back wearily. At first, she attempted to sit and rest, but she had spare time and somebody to spend with it. The centurions were watching Pit as he crawled around feebly. He looked up when the goddess arrived, and she smiled at him. He seemed to be enjoying his exploration of the floor, so she sat down with the large novel that she studied so often.

She gazed at the child, and felt a frown creasing her forehead. Palutena had expected him to be much more self-sufficient, but he hardly seemed able to propel himself around. But something else was wrong too. She flipped through the book more urgently, and found a page with a large illustration. There was a drawing of a young angel of Pit's age, but she spotted an important difference between the two instantly. The angel on the page had wings the length of his body. She looked up to see Pit's. They barely reached his upper arms, and were covered in the fluffy, grey, downy feathers. The other boy had shed his baby feathers, and had pristine white wings that almost shone. She slammed the book shut, startling the baby.

It was all wrong. Pit should have been bigger, better proportioned and should have been attempting to fly at his age. What had she done wrong? Had she not dedicated hours to him, and given him the best she could? She jumped to her feet and snatched the baby off the ground possessively. She buried her face in his hair. She could not do anything properly. Not only had she caused the demise of his parents, but she had stunted his growth as well.

Pit surprised her, by drawing a deep breath, and then wailing. She held him at arms length, and then spoke to the centurions. "See to the baby, please." The two warriors jostled forwards, and she winced as their clumsy hands reached for Pit. "When you're done, please take him to the watch tower."  
"Yes, Lady Palutena," they answered obediently. As soon as they left, she took her head into her hands. She could not be sure that he was flightless. There was still a chance. Anyway, the drawing could have been incorrect.

She stood, and made her way back to the gardens. She was not used to travelling by foot. From the outside, she could see the palace in its entirety. One of the highest points was the watch tower, along with the bell tower and the aviary. Her own chambers were the furthest from the ground. Without thinking, she flicked her wrists and conjured up a chair to sit on. She could have used that power for something more important! Her attention was abruptly drawn to the three figures by the watch tower window.

She spoke aloud, but broadcasted the message to their minds. "Drop him."  
They opened the wide window carefully, and then the Strongarm Centurion held the boy out, letting him dangle in the air hopelessly. Then, he let go.

Time slowed dramatically, as Pit tumbled from the centurion's hand. His wings fluttered in the wind hopelessly, and offered him no aid. He hurtled towards the ground, gaining speed worryingly. He wasn't going to pull up. His wings were too weak. She pointed towards the child with her staff with a sigh. She granted him the power of flight, just before he touched the ground. The effect was obvious. His wings glowed with blinding power, displaying the new strength she had leant him. All of a sudden, his wings were using the breezes to keep him up, and he drifted effortlessly through the currents.

She should have brought him down immediately, but the delight that registered on his face left her unable to retrieve him. Eventually, she directed him down into her arms, and held him tight.  
"You were meant for the sky, little one."

* * *

Author's notes: Poor Pit! Not being raised by angels led to his inability to fly... At least, that's my theory. I'm not as happy with this chapter as I was with the last, but I still have ideas for the next few chapters. I hope those will be better!


	3. Chapter 3

The goddess stood regally at the edge of her domain, her hair whipping her face in the light breeze. Her brow was creased in concentration, as she willed the centurions to succeed. They had to. She could see them drifting down from the heavens in a fleet of celestial power. To her, they resembled snowflakes as they floated slowly towards the ground in their white and gold attire.

She could see the Overworld in its entirety from her vantage point. It was a rare occurrence for the Goddess of light, herself, to personally wish the army good fortune before they left. Usually she would have watched from her scrying bowl, but despite the impressive size of the gathering, she worried for them. Without the angels leading them onwards, she did not know how well the battle would fare.

She could not understand how Medusa's army was already preparing for a second battle. Had Palutena not dowsed for the remaining underworld forces, there would have been a very real risk of attack. The Light Goddess shuddered at that thought. Since the massacre, she had feared the prospect of battles to come. She had to remind herself that there was nothing left to lose anymore. Or was there? There was her angel, and she vowed to keep him safe through everything. There was also the humans. Without light, they had nothing. The whole of the Overworld depended on her, and that was why she needed to keep fighting.

She could sense the battle beginning, somewhere below her. A nagging sensation in her mind told her that the centurions were not doing particularly well, but the battle was quite even. She caught sight of the area where the stand-off was taking place, and could see the surrounding forest being destroyed. She was so thankful that the battle had not begun in Skyworld, for it had only recently been fully repaired.

"Lady Palutena?"

She spun on her toes to face the owner of the familiar voice.

"Pit! Get away from the edge, now!" Palutena yelped, ushering him away from the danger. He looked up, obviously wounded at her harsh reaction.

The goddess sighed. "I'm sorry, Pit. You just scared me." The boy nodded, and forgave her instantly. He came closer, and took two handfuls of her white dress into his small hands. She wanted him to get out of that habit, but it was so endearing.

She flicked her staff, and two chairs appeared infront of her. Immediately, Pit clambered onto one. Palutena sat down gingerly, sweeping her skirt out of the way.

"Why did you come out here, Pit? You know that I don't like you going near the… edge." Although the angel had grown up so much, Palutena had lost hope that he would ever fly. His wings were still feeble and small, but he was proud to show off his new, gleaming white feathers that had replaced the scruffy grey ones. The edge of Skyworld posed a constant threat.

He swung his short legs from the chair guiltily. "I wanted to see," he said cryptically. "The centurions were all gone."

Palutena's expression softened. "Did I not instruct you to stay at the palace?"

He gave her an angelic pout. "I'm sorry, Lady Palutena." He pronounced her title with difficulty, but she was proud to hear the carefully constructed words. She nodded in forgiveness, with a warning to never disobey her commands. She could not let him get hurt.

Without warning, he hopped off the chair and leaned over the edge of Skyworld, despite his patron's attempt to pull him back.

"I found them!" Pit declared happily, reporting his findings to Palutena with pride. "They are coming back."

She stood up. "They're returning?"

The Goddess frowned. Were the centurions retreating? Pit seemed ecstatic as he watched the flock of centurions get closer and closer.

Palutena was glad that Pit enjoyed the centurions company, for he spent most of his life with them. At first, she felt horrible for leaving him to learn and play with such simple beings, but they had delighted her. Once, she returned to the palace earlier than usual, and peeked into Pit's room. She was curious about the laughter that echoed through the marble halls. The boy was just learning to speak at that point, so she knew that it could only be the centurions' booming laugh. Then, she saw them laughing as the toddler stamped around, purposefully entertaining them.

She could not quite understand why they suddenly showed so much emotion, but she had a theory. With the Goddess, they seemed to be only soulless servants - tiny fragments of her own life source - but with others, they expressed feelings and reactions. She supposed that they were variations of herself, and they represented different parts of her own personality. She cared for each one now. Not one could be created twice.

"What happened?" Palutena propelled the question into the minds of the centurions, and recieved a collective response.

"Medusa - she was there."

Fear prickled under her skin, and she stiffened in her seat. Medusa was already trying to get revenge. Apparently being the Goddess of the Underworld had its advantages.

"Pit, get back to the palace."

"But-"

"I mean it, Pit. It is too dangerous out here." Palutena's senses screamed with an urgent warning. Danger, danger, danger. Her muscles tensed, as she sensed an unavoidable malevolent presence. She turned to look at the angel who had picked up on the eerie atmosphere, but didn't move. His eyes widened. She swung her staff, sending a Zuree hurtling back to the Overworld. Her chest heaved as the shock sank in. Monsters in her realm.

Pit backed away, finally realising the impending threat.

She righted herself, and took the angel's hand. She silently cursed herself - she wanted to reduce the amount of physical contact between them - but it was not the time for learning lessons.

"Don't worry, Pit," she consoled him and herself, "I just need to strengthen the barrier…"

The Goddess focused her power on the shield, and she could feel it hardening and concealing the two from the rest of the world. Satisfied, she stood back.

"You're safe here, Pit."

He nodded, his confidence in her unwavering.

"You think that you're safe, Sister?"

Palutena froze, recognising the icy voice instantly. She grappled with her paralysing fear, and forced words to leave her dry throat in a breathy sentence. "I cannot call you my sister anymore."

An astral projection billowed up over the skyline, and she saw her the enemy infront of her. Her skin had a cold, grey hue, and black marks were inked onto it. A black tattoo creeped along the side of her face - right through her serpentine eyes - and stopped by her forehead

Snakes writhed and twisted around her head, along with strands of black hair that danced with them.

"You cannot call me your sister?" Medusa barked with mirthless laughter. "Oh Palutena, you have cursed, banished and battled with me, and **you** cannot call **me** a sister? Maybe you're right, but families have bonds that run deeper than actions. Despite what you have done to me, you are still my sister."

Palutena clenched her fists. "Leave here, Medusa. You cannot get into Skyworld."

"I know, Palutena. I know. I just wanted to drop in and give you a warning." Medusa said casually. "Make a mental note: there is worse to come."

* * *

"I would like him to learn to fight," she told a centurion strongarm.

"But, he is young, Lady Palutena…" he stated the obvious.

"Yes, he may be," she answered impatiently, "but he needs to be able to fend for himself." The message was clear: her confidence in her power was wavering. She did not know why, but she could feel it. As always, she had a theory, but she could not look into it properly.

The centurion nodded slowly.

"Will you teach him? Teach him to fight."

"We could teach him how to use a bow for now. He would need a very tiny one though."

The Goddess reached out, and formed a silvery bow in her hand. The centurion weighed it in his large hand.

"I'm afraid that is much too heavy, Lady Palutena."

She took the weapon back, and closed her eyes. She concentrated until her head felt light, and spots danced in her vision. It should not have been so hard.

She returned the tiny weapon to the judges hand, and he nodded. Although it was the same size and thickness, it weighed much less.

"Better. That should be fine."

Palutena felt a little peeved after the centurion deemed her work 'fine', but her expression remained stony.

"Start as soon as possible."

* * *

**Author's Notes**: This chapter did not seem to flow as easily onto the page as the last two did, but I am proud to say: the plot begins to reveal itself. It's subtle now, but it should become more prominent. Life interfered with writing this week, but that's what Fridays are for! I finally have this chapter off my mind.


	4. Chapter 4

"Lady Palutena, there's somebody here to see you."  
"Who is it?" Palutena asked wearily.  
"It's-"  
The Goddess of Light hardly reacted when the huge, silvery doors were blown away in an impressive display of power. Amongst, the glowing rubble, the silhouette of a young girl was eminent. Now Palutena had another job; she had to fix the marble doors.

"Viridi," she greeted the intruder politely, but there was an air of impatience in her tone. "Good morning."  
"So _you're_ the Goddess of Light!" Viridi exclaimed, walking straight up to the taller deity. Hadn't they already established this? Palutena had spoken with Viridi on several occasions, but always in formal meetings or celebrations.  
"Yes…" Palutena strained to keep her tone light. "I am the Goddess of Light."

"I have a bone to pick with you! You-"  
"Viridi, with all due respect, now is not the time." Palutena gestured to her scrying bowl, in which, humans could be seen starving and stealing. The effort of sorting out their current problems was taking its toll on the Goddess.  
"Don't tell me that now is not the time!" Viridi screeched. She held out her hands and conjured up a small globe that showed parts of her domain. "What do you see, Palutena?"  
Palutena looked at it more closely and frowned. "Your domain doesn't seem very healthy." Palutena noted. A sense of dread settled in her stomach when she saw the stunted plants.

"Don't act all naïve now, Palutena. We both know that this isn't my fault." Viridi snapped her small hands together and the image disappeared. "I hate to say it, but eco-systems, animals and plants depend on your light. You're destroying my domain!" The Goddess of Light was struck speechless. Her throat went bone dry, and words would not emerge from her open mouth.  
She shook herself mentally. "What are you talking about?"

"You know full well what I'm talking about!" Viridi growled, quickly growing tired of Palutena's feigned ignorance. "You aren't providing enough light for the world. I don't know why you're doing this Palutena, but if it's to weaken my power, you're darn cruel!" The Nature Goddess flashed a smug smile. "You're killing off your precious humans by leaving their crops to fail and giving them less light hours! Not that I care about them - they're doing enough damage already. But if-"  
"Enough, Viridi!" Palutena cried, throwing away her renowned calm. She stood still for a moment in the stunned silence, collecting her dignity. "My powers and affairs are my own, and as a lesser Goddess, you have no right to consult me like this."

"Lesser Goddess?" Viridi was clearly not one to respect her superiors. "Look lady, I came here to ensure light and health for my children, and I won't leave until I have that."  
"Viridi," Palutena was loosing her temper quickly. She was not in the mood to be harassed by an eight year old. "Leave now. I will do my best to provide light for your domain, but you can ask no more of me."

Viridi was about to speak when she heard something. Both deities could hear a symphony of light, happy footsteps and child-like peals of laughter. The sounds grew ever louder as they were amplified by the long, echoing corridors of the temple. The Goddess of Light prayed that he would not enter her throne room, but whoever she was praying to did not grant her prayer. The young angel finally came into sight, and stopped by the wreckage of the once-impressive doors. He gasped, and looked closely at the rubble.  
"Lady Palutena!" Pit finally exclaimed in alarm.  
"Yes, Pit?"  
"The door's broke!" Pit informed her, distressed. "Oh dear."

He skipped over to sit in a chair near his Goddess, and looked at the newcomer with interest.  
"You're a yellow tree." he decided. Palutena didn't quite see the resemblance, but she supposed that Viridi's attire of petals, roots and branches had confused him. She did have very long, blonde hair.  
Viridi's expression softened very slightly, but her tone remained harsh. "Don't you dare call me a tree!"  
Pit shrank back in his chair, and pouted. His hurt expression rarely failed to distract Palutena, but she brought herself back to the matter at hand.

"Pit, I think you should go now," she noticed his silver bow with a smile. "Why don't you do some archery practise?" Palutena wanted to get the angel out of Viridi's sight quickly.  
"But I wanted to show you my arrows!" Pit protested, but he trudged away all the same.  
As soon as he exited, Viridi turned on the other Goddess.  
"I thought that Medusa turned all of the angels to stone." "Well, she didn't."  
"Do you keep that angel as a pet? Or servant?" she added with a smirk.  
"No! It's hardly your business anyway!"

"Pit, huh? Why did you give him that name?"  
"Viridi-"  
"He seems to be very attached to you. Why?"  
Palutena sighed. "It's understandable that you would be curious about him, but as I said, my affairs are my own. I've agreed to lend you more of my power, so I must ask you to leave. Now."

* * *

Palutena did not want Pit to know that she was checking in on him. Now that Viridi knew how close they were, the Nature Goddess had a hold over Palutena. Besides, Palutena was too close to Pit anyway. As an angel, he should have been a servant, but he was a warrior-in-training… and she was utterly charmed by him.

Only she could set the appropriate distance between them, and she cursed herself for letting it get so out of hand. She walked quietly, making only the merest of sounds as her sandled feet touched the marble paths. She was too tired to simply appear at her destination, but it wasn't that far. When she was close enough to the arena, she popped straight into the VIP box. Easy.

From her vantage point, she could see Pit with his bow easily. Amongst all the centurions, he looked much, much too small to fight. However, he had a confident grin on his face as he took his position in line with the moving targets. He shot. Each arrow hit a bullseye. And nobody but the Goddess felt surprised. He shot again and again, never missing, but he still didn't stop practising. He really didn't need all of the extra practise, she was certain, but she was proud to witness his determination. The centurions had told Palutena that Pit was a skilled fighter who was already on their standards, but she had underestimated his skills.

Pleased with what she had seen, Palutena turned and walked down the steps to the exit. Quietly. She eased open the door and slipped through it. She sighed with a triumphant smile.  
"Lady Palutena! Lady Palutena!" The boy hurtled through the doors with a beaming smile plastered onto his face. "Did you see? Did you see me with my arrows? I am as good as the centurions! I promise!"  
"I saw you, Pit." Palutena said curtly but at his expectant expression, she added, "You were wonderful."

Pit's grin grew even wider. "Thanks, Lady Palutena! The centurions might teach me swords if I master the bow."  
Palutena arched a lone eyebrow. "They will? Have you nearly mastered the bow?"  
"I have almost! My teacher says that I am the best he has ever teached."  
"Taught," she corrected him fleetingly. "That's most impressive, Pit."

Pit continued to smile at her, and she grew uncomfortable with the silence.  
"Pit, I'm going to head back to the palace now."  
"Can I go with you?"  
Palutena gave a sad smile. "Now is not a good time, Pit."

* * *

**Author's notes: Sorry to keep you waiting! I kind of forgot about writing this story for a while, but then when I remembered, I procrastinated an awful lot… sorry. But I'm going to make it up to you now! I have planned about fifteen chapters (all together) for this story, and I plan to get them all written by the end of July and published by July 10th. That's fifteen days of writing!**

**For those who feel that the characters are very out-of-character now, that is pretty much the base of my story. It's kind of about how Palutena coped with losing her sister, and how Pit impacted her life and personality. Thank you to those who have reviewed already! I love reading them!**


	5. Chapter 5

Pit sprinted down the cold corridors and considered calling for his Goddess. He decided not to, for he had no idea of what could be lurking in the huge temple. Since seeing Medusa, he had been ever so slightly scared of travelling around on his own. But not that scared, because he had Lady Palutena. He wanted to find her, badly.

"Lady Palutena!" Pit's voice was small, but it echoed far. If someone other than the Goddess heard, he had no means to defend himself.

He stopped by the huge, white and gold doors that marked the entrance to Palutena's throne room, and listened for voices. He was always careful to make sure that Palutena was alone, because when she had company, she always sent him away. He hated that. He also knew that she didn't really want him to go away, because she always liked to spend time with him. He knew that because her face always brightened when she saw him.

He couldn't hear any voices, but he could not hear her walking around either. She usually walked around her room when she was thinking or upset. The angel knocked on the door, and waited patiently. Nothing. And then he heard screams. They were quiet but urgent, as if the sound was coming from far away. Pit jumped to action, and started shoving the door open. What if Lady Palutena was in trouble?! The doors were heavy, so he only opened them far enough for himself to squeeze through.

"Lady Palutena!" Pit's voice was stronger now that he thought that she was near. The room was empty. He looked around, confused, and his eyes fell upon the white, stone basin in the centre of the room. The sound was coming from over there. He tiptoed over to it, and tried to look into it. He was too small to see over the rim, so he hurried over to one of the white chairs nearby. He dragged it across the room, wincing at the screeching noise that had been added to the desperate screaming.

The bowl was filled with visions. Pit's eyes widened dramatically, and he reached out to touch it. It was water. The image rippled, much to Pit's amazement. Then he noticed what the liquid was showing. It was a lady, and her money was being stolen. Then, there was a man who was starving. Pit saw trees and plants dying, and then monsters attacking. The centurions were battling and losing.

The angel stumbled back, and fell off the chair onto the hard floor. He sat silently for a short moment, but then he threw back his head and wailed. He had never made a noise like that before. His throat burned, and the horrid shriek rang in his head. It was a sound of pure confusion, fear and disgust. And then Lady Palutena was there, her soft hands on his back and her cool dress swishing over his shoulder. He was up in the air, and then nestled against her, safe.

* * *

"It's okay, Pit," she promised, "it's okay." Palutena ran her fingers up and down his back gently, and ghosted her fingers over his fragile wings. She could feel tears dampening her shoulder. She scanned the room, and noted the chair that had been turned over and the scrying bowl by it.

"Pit," she whispered. "Are you hurt?"  
He hestitated before shaking his head: no.  
"Were you looking into my scrying bowl?"  
"Yes," he spoke into her clothed shoulder.

She sighed, and placed him lightly back on his feet. She wiped away the tear tracks on his face, and kissed his forehead in a split-second of pure maternal instinct. He looked up at her with wide, clear eyes, and she sympathised with him greatly. The events occurring on the Overworld were not at all suitable for someone so young, let alone someone so inexperienced with mortality.

"What did you see?" Palutena asked, hoping that he had not seen all of the problems that were raging on below them.  
Pit frowned. "I saw people… without wings. Humans." he remembered. "And they were fighting, and they had no food. Then I saw the centurions fighting with monsters. They were all fighting."  
The Goddess resisted the urge to take him back into her arms, but she'd done enough damage. "Pit…" she breathed. "The world is not a very peaceful place, and all we can do is try to make it better. As a Goddess, it's my duty to protect those who cannot defend themselves."

Pit clung to every word she said. "But… I…"  
"Listen, Pit. I will always, always do my best to keep people safe, and so far, my best has always been enough. I promise that I will prevent any harm from coming to you at all costs."  
"Why would harm come upon me?" Pit asked tentatively.  
"It won't, Pit. That's what I just said."  
"And, I have my bow."  
"Yes, you do."

"But, Lady Palutena," Pit looked down at his toes. "I'm not scared. I have you."

Palutena blushed slightly, her heart melting at his fidelity and trust.  
Pit continued, "But, those people are unhappy and I want to help."  
"Don't you worry, Pit. I have the situation under control." Palutena lied swiftly.  
"But, why are the centurions fighting?"

The Goddess of Light bit her lip. She wished that she had experience rearing children.  
"Okay, Pit, there is a big fight between the dark and light at the moment."  
Pit nodded, but then stopped abruptly. "What do you mean?"  
"There is a war between Medusa and myself, and we are Goddesses of Dark and Light. It's like the day and night. One must always be dominant, and they cannot coincide… or so it seems." Palutena added sorrowfully.

* * *

Palutena beamed at the little boy when he bounced back to her. He carried his silver bow proudly.  
"What now, Lady Palutena? What do I master now?" Palutena laughed a little. Mastering weapons was not an everyday occurrence, especially not for such a young boy, but he was already up for more.  
"You can learn whatever you wish to. In fact, I can actually create almost any weapon you'd like to work with."  
"Could you give me some ideas?" Pit asked.

"Oh, well…" Palutena was never one for using weapons. "For you, the best weapons might be blades or… claws." Probably not clubs or arms; she could not imagine him with such heavy weapons, even though he was relatively strong for his age and size. Pit considered these options. "A blade, please."  
"That would probably be best." Palutena agreed.

She had never really looked into blade designs, so her first attempt was going to be a bit experimental. In her head, she conjured up an image of the sort of blade that would fit the angel. Satisfied, she stepped back.  
"Careful of your eyes, Pit. Light is quite bright."  
She closed her eyes, and held out her two hands. A blurry smudge of light enveloped them, as she focused. The vague shape of the brightness began to sharpen and twist before suddenly, the light dispersed, leaving a shiny new weapon.

"Wow!" Pit gazed at her in wonderment. "That was amazing! You maded the blade in your hands!"  
"Made," Palutena corrected him, but she was proud of herself too. It was a beautiful new weapon, and a good weight for him. "Here."  
He took the weapon from her hands, and Palutena wondered briefly whether it was at all apropriate to hand him the instrument.

He turned, and slowly arranged the weapon until it felt sturdy. Palutena regarded his style, and watched as he shot at the still targets twice.  
"I missed." Pit stated, clearly disappointed. He turned back to face his Goddess, and was surprised to see a smile.  
"That's fine, Pit," she consoled him smoothly. "Maybe this weapon will offer you more of a challenge."

* * *

**Author's notes: I wanted to show a more maternal side to Palutena in this chapter, because although she's struggling to keep the rank distance, she can't help it sometimes. I also wanted to show how many problems Palutena has to deal with, because it can't be easy, being a Goddess. I finally wrote some proper Pit action! I was waiting for that!**

**So, I finished this chapter and posted it the day after the last one. I hope to have the next chapter up by tomorrow too, without rushing the writing.**


	6. Chapter 6

Pain. Every inch of the Goddess was engulfed in waves of pain. There was nothing physical causing it; not one injury marred her pale skin. Palutena supposed that that was done to make a point, but it was hard to think. Her back ached, and her shoulders burned from keeping her forced position. She knelt, shackled by her wrists, ankles and neck. She had never experienced pain like it. It felt like thousands of knives were stabbing her back, and shards of glass were scraping her limbs, and in her chest, there was a dull throbbing that she could not describe. It was difficult to breathe. Each breath was ragged and laboured, as the metal collar she wore restricted her throat. She wondered what would happen if a Goddess decided not to breathe, but she did not want to be the first.

She worried for Pit. She didn't know what she would do if he had been hurt or killed. Few thoughts could make it through her pain, to her consciousness, but that thought didn't leave. She could not quite remember what had happened. She opened her eyes and looked around. She was in her own temple. How ironic.

What had she been doing last? A blast of pain buffeted her, and she lost her thought track for a moment. She had been with Pit… reading to him in the library. Her body stiffened, realising that he had been in the room with her when she'd been attacked. But, she was not as worried as she should have been, for a new memory was already surfacing.

* * *

"'So, Eros let his arrow fly to straight to the heart of'-"  
"Pit?"  
"Yes, Lady Palutena?"  
"You're on the wrong page. I just read that bit."  
"Oh!" Pit realised. "Um, 'the hoo-mans de-kid-ded to li-vee wit-h ea-cha ot-her'-"

"Pit, I thought that we went over the 't-h' sound... and the 'c' sound, and the 'i-e' sound."  
"I'm sorry, Lady Palutena."  
"It's okay, Pit, we'll try again tomorrow."  
"Is it bedtime?"  
"Yes, Pit. It's bedtime." Palutena confirmed.

"I don't want to go to bed!" Pit stated. "Please can I stay up?"  
Palutena gave a half-smile. "Pit, look outside."  
Pit edged over to the window, and pressed his face and hands against the glass.  
"I can't see anything, Lady Palutena."  
"Exactly. The sun's asleep, so you should be asleep too!"  
Pit could not fault that logic. "Okay then…"

"Goodnight, Pit!" Palutena called.  
"Goodnight, Lady Palutena." Pit trudged off to his room.  
Palutena briskly folded over the corner of the picture book, and put it back on the shelf. Before leaving, she glanced out the window at Skyworld. It was very dark, even for night time. Palutena hoped against hope that her weakening powers weren't affecting her realm.

She turned away and found herself face to face with Medusa. Palutena screamed, and tried to attack, but her hands were already bound by Medusa's.  
"Sneak attack!" Medusa explained, laughing. Palutena tried to move again, but she was completely immobilised. How had Medusa got through the barrier, let alone into the Sky Temple? That was her last conscious thought before a searing pain invaded her mind and body, leaving her screaming in agony. She could hear her sister laughing.

* * *

Footsteps. Palutena's ears rang with the sound, after becoming so accustomed to the silence. Funnily enough, she could tell who was walking towards her cell, just from memory. It was her dear sister.  
"Oh, Palutena... How the mighty have fallen." Medusa greeted her patronisingly. "I did warn you, didn't I? Didn't I tell you that there was worse to come?"  
Medusa took Palutena's chin into a single, calloused hand. "Are you just going to ignore me, as best as you can? Well, I must say that this has been most disappointing. Very easy. You're very predictable, Sister."

Medusa smiled prettily, and looked down at her captive. "I did come down here to gloat, so I will make use of your silence." Palutena hated how gleeful her sister sounded. "So, do you want to know how I did it? Do you want to know how I took down the ever-so-powerful Queen of Light?"  
Palutena already knew, but she said nothing.  
"Let me tell you a little legend." Medusa gave Palutena no choice. "Once, there was simply the Night and Day, and their people. Obviously the people preferred Day, because it's so pretty, colourful and useful, and they feared Night and the darkness."

Medusa laughed mirthlessly. "Night was hurt, and he went to see the people who feared it so. He explained the stars and the moon, and the people were delighted with how beautiful it was. Then he explained how the day had darkness in it too. There wasn't always light in the day; there was rain, clouds and eclipses. Night explained how nobody was pure darkness or light." Medusa smiled again. "You know this, don't you? The darkness in light is treacherous and overwhelming. The light in the dark is ever-welcome."

"Your story means nothing!" Palutena formed the weak words with difficulty, and she felt the pain intensify for her misbehaviour.  
"She speaks!" Medusa announced delightfully. "The story means everything, Proud Palutena. You brought on your own demise, for the darkness in you is overtaking the light. As the Goddess of Light, that affects you more than others."  
"What darkness?" Palutena spat.  
Medusa gave her sister an amused glance. "You know what I mean. Depression, guilt, pain, loneliness… I could go on."

"But what about the light in you, Medusa?" Palutena tried to say it forcefully, but the words emerged from her lips weakly.  
"Darkness snuffs out light, Palutena." Medusa gestured to the area around them. "Can't you see that? Your own aura of benevolent light is fading. I've won, Palutena."

* * *

She felt sick. So powerless. Palutena knew that the chains binding her wrists were sapping her power, and no doubt feeding it to Medusa. She could feel an emptiness where her power used to be; at least, she thought she could. She hated being so restricted, for she was left only with her thoughts. Everything her sister had said had sent Palutena delving into thoughts that she could not stand. At least the pain that Medusa had forced upon her had dulled. It had not weakened, but she had grown used to it.

She worried for Pit. The uncertainty hurt her more than anything. He could be wounded, or even dead, and she could do nothing either way. He was so young, and he depended on her so much. He must have been so scared. And his absolute trust in her must have been unravelled. It was clearly unfounded. If she ever returned to power, she did not want to live without Pit again.

But she was not as worried as she would have been, because she could sense Pit. The more she believed this, the stronger she could feel it. It was like a spot of warmth, that was not within her. Even with her closed eyes, she could tell that the source of this was somewhere deep below her, somewhere far to the right. The power that she did not know she still had was tracking him. Like an emergency energy supply. She smiled for the first time in what seemed like years.

Her remaining power was selective. She could only use it for the most important matters - not relieving herself of the constant pain, but doing something small and important. She had one, surprise chance to win back freedom. One tiny drop of power. That was what she had been reduced to. And she knew just how to use it.

* * *

Pit was not scared. Just confused. He was stuck to a wall, with cold, golden chains on his arms and legs. It was hard to move. He was also bored. He did not know how long he had been there, but he had fallen asleep quite a few times. There was nobody else nearby, and hunger was starting to kick in. He didn't understand why Lady Palutena hadn't come yet.

Pit did not know why he had been taken to the prison, but he remembered being woken up by a small monster, but the monster did not hurt him. It had taken him to the snake lady, who laughed at him and said that a flightless angel was pitiful. And then… he was strapped to the wall, here. Wherever 'here' was. Pit wished that he had been armed with his bow, or even with his new blade. Then, he would have been able to defend himself, his Goddess and Skyworld. He had decided that the reason Lady Palutena hadn't come to release him yet was because she couldn't. And he had put two and two together: if Lady Palutena could not come, someone was keeping her prisoner, and that meant that she was in danger.

He supposed that this was part of the war she was talking about, and that meant that he had to save her somehow. He squirmed against his bonds, and tried to kick his shackles off to no avail.

Suddenly, they clicked open, and he dropped to the floor.

Pit picked himself up, and surveyed the empty metal trap proudly. The angel quickly realised that it could not have opened the metal bonds himself, for they had clicked open gently… As if they had been opened by the key. And the door to his cell was swinging open, all of a sudden. It was strange.

_Pit?_

The voice was weak, but clear in his mind.  
"Lady Palutena!" Pit exclaimed, glad to hear the familiar voice. "Are you okay?"  
The response was strained and hoarse.

_I'm fine, Pit._

She was unconvincing.

_Listen closely, Pit. I'm sending you a weapon._

Pit looked down at his hands just as his silver bow appeared in a flash.

_I need you to be very grown-up about this. Do you think you can do that?_

"I can, Lady Palutena." Pit replied bravely.

_With that weapon, you can escape from the Underworld. It should be relatively simple, for most of the guards are stationed at the Palace in the Sky, and you are a master archer, as young as you are._

"I'm not little!" Pit disagreed strongly, but he frowned when realisation hit him. "The Sky Palace has been invaded?" There was a moment of hesitation before the Goddess answered.

_Yes, Pit. The Sky Palace is no longer under my control. I ,myself, am imprisoned within it._

"I'll come and save you, Lady Palutena!"

_Oh Pit…_

For a moment, he feared that she had been cut off by something.

_Pit, there's a chance that you could hide somewhere in the Overworld, but Medusa has made it her goal to rule all three realms: the Underworld, the Overworld and Skyworld. That means that you would be in danger permanently._

"But what about you, Lady Palutena?" Pit asked, with more urgency.

_I told you, Pit. I am trapped in the Sky Palace._

Pit could feel tears forming in his eyes, but he blinked them back. "I can't live without you, Lady Palutena."  
He wasn't lying. He was not self-sufficient enough to survive long in the demon infested world, even with the humans. Palutena blamed herself for that.

_I know Pit, but that is your only chance._

"No it's not." Pit contradicted his Goddess after a moment's thought. "I can free you."  
Pit could have sworn he'd heard Lady Palutena sigh at his persistence.

_To do that, Pit, you would have to retrieve the Three Sacred Treasures from all three domains and then fight my sister. Those are the sources of Skyworld's true power, and you can't defeat her wihout them._

There was a moment of silence.

_Are you still there, Pit?_

"Nope. I'm on my way to free you."

* * *

**Author's notes: So, for those who haven't noticed (I wouldn't blame you) this is my account of the events of the first Kid Icarus game! I've made it longer and more understandable than the manual would suggest, but I'm following the same plot. I'm quite excited about this! **

**Maths time! About 530 different people have read this story, and 7 different people have reviewed. This means that 1.3% of readers are reviewing... Is that right? Anyways, I'm very, very thankful to those seven people! You know who you are! I'd love to know if people like this, and I really would appreciate feedback. It would only take a moment… **

**\/**

**The next chapter might take longer to write, I'm afraid. I am really sorry about that!**


	7. Chapter 7

The Goddess could not believe how desperate the situation was. Nor could she believe that she had sent the last angel - a seven year old - to defeat the Goddess of Darkness. She had to accept that it was their best chance to win, because they could only escape together. The centurions had probably been wiped out. She didn't know why Medusa had spared Pit, but she was not going to question it. Definitely not.

Palutena looked around, through the gloomy darkness. It had gradually been getting darker, and Palutena despised the change. Her own palace was adapting to its new owner. The once-smooth, cream-coloured marble was roughening, and darkening dramatically. It had become as dead and grey as ash. In fact, Palutena's own cell was becoming more and more like a simple cave. There were even stalactites starting to form on the ceiling, that dripped melodically. The Goddess of Light glared down murderously at the puddle that had formed right in front of her. The room was only getting colder, and each puddle made it worse. She could see herself in the water, all pale skin, and damp hair. But she looked so much better than she felt. If she wasn't being restricted so bodily, she would not have been able to keep her kneeling position.

Palutena gazed at the dark, shining water on the floor of her cell. She focused, and eventually, the dripping water stopped. She took a moment to regain her breath, proud of her achievement. She had not thought that she had any power left at all, but somehow, she was finding more. She liked to think that the power was surfacing due to her need to help her angel. She did not want to think that she was drawing slivers of power from her own life force, and causing permanent damage. The worst part of being a Goddess was that everybody depended on her survival, and sometimes, she almost lost the will to continue. The Overworld was probably a dark, hellish place without her… just like the other worlds.

As soon as she mustered the strength, she fixed her mind on the tiny pool, and scrunched her eyes up tight. At first, nothing seemed to happen. But she imagined her angel in danger, and felt the change that signalled the use of magic. Palutena smiled. It felt different than ever before, because the process had slowed drastically. The sensation could only be described as colours, rushing through her veins. She opened her emerald eyes tentatively, and was greeted with a welcome sight.

She could see him in the water. He was her angel, doubtlessly. And he was wonderful. Pit seemed strangely comfortable when faced against so many new enemies, but his face was a mask of determination. Palutena had been correct in assuming that fewer monsters would still be stationed in the Underworld, but that didn't make his archery any less impressive. The Goddess sighed when the scene faded away, back into a void of icy water. It did reappear briefly, but the picture did not stay long. On. Off. On. Off. It was not the best way to watch her angel's progress, but it had to be enough.

Abruptly, Palutena tried and failed to lean in closer. He was already nearing the Underworld commander: Twinbellows.

She had complete confidence in him, and had no doubt that he could retrieve the Mirror shield.

* * *

Battle was surprisingly simple. As soon as Pit emerged from his prison, he had spotted monsters. He had notched his arrow and attacked without a second thought. As soon as the arrow made contact with a monster, the victim fell apart into a whirl of particles. No gore. They just disappeared, leaving the way clear. He was filled with a terrible hatred for them, that prompted him to attack all monsters; even those who posed no threat. He was awarded with strange hearts with every victory he scored, so he picked those up too.

They had taken over his world, his home and his Goddess. A Goddess who had only ever done her best to help people. Why? Why would they ever hurt someone so divine, powerful, wondrous and beautiful? With that thought, he brought down another monster, and then another, and another… It made sense to destroy every one he could.

Pit climbed ever higher. It became obvious that he was far, far below the Overworld, and that made it harder to keep jumping. It was such a daunting task, and it seemed to take such a long time. The amount of monsters never dwindled, even though he had defeated countless enemies. The obscurity stretched ahead of him endlessly. He longed for daylight, but he got the feeling that he wouldn't feel it even when he reached the surface. As soon as he lost his focus, he lost his footing and tumbled down, off the ledge. He tried to spread his weak wings and slow his descent, but they did nothing.

Then he felt the ground on his back and wings. It didn't feel like he had landed at all. He stood and looked around again, squinting through the pitch black. He was back in his cell. How? Pit was sure that he had been finished, but he was better than he was before. A few wounds had been cleared off his skin, and he had bountiful energy. Pit shrugged and stood up. Apparently when he died, he stayed in the Underworld. It was unsurprising, for it was the land of the dead. The angel looked upwards at the daunting task ahead of him, and set to work.

This time, he expertly dodged the snakes and the other monsters, shooting them deftly and accurately. He jumped every ledge carefully, and looked ahead for possible danger. He was doing quite well. He did not underestimate any obstacle.

His heart lit up when he caught sight of a large, stone building: a fortress. He was certain that that building was holding the first Sacred Treasure... and some sort of guard. The power of Palutena's Army was derived from those treasures, and there was no way that they would go unprotected. Pit made the last few ledges expertly, and made his way inside.

The angel glanced around, and took in his surroundings. There were many route possibilities. There was no way he would be able to track his progress properly, but there was little time to lose. He spurred himself on with the thought that every moment he saved meant that he was freeing Lady Palutena from her pain a bit earlier.

"Ow!" Pit yelped in surprise and pain. A snake had got him from behind. Although he had travelled far, he could not keep going forever. For the first time, he worried about his health. And then, he was a vegetable: purple, round, yet limbed. His weapon was gone. That was what he got for losing his concentration.

"Oh no." Pit was unbalanced in his new form, but he could still run quite safely. But where to? He could not move forward without a weapon. He stopped on a safe platform, disappointed. He had to double back to a safe area. He had been so close!

Pit retraced his steps, and found his way to the hospital without bumping into monsters.

"Let me remove the curse," the woman offered helpfully. It was so convenient to have a hospital inside an Underworld Fortress.

* * *

The Goddess looked over him as he finally reached Twinbellows. It had taken him a few tries to reach that part of the fortress, but she was pleased with his progress. The demon hound was not a particularly challenging creature, but it had legendary firepower. It was also very intimidating. The beast was lava red, and the colours flickered like the flames it could produce. Its ribs appeared to be jutting out of its body, and smaller bones acted as protective spikes that lined its back. A bejewelled collar was clipped onto a broken, golden chain that signified the creature's rebelliousness. The second head snapped at the boy, while the first growled menacingly. Pit wasted no time, and started to shoot over and over, never wavering. Palutena bit her lip when her view faded out briefly, but it reappeared quickly.

Twinbellows was slow. Pit seemed to have noticed, for he kept jumping behind the dog and shooting at it from a better position. The room seemed much too small for the huge animal, so Twinbellows struggled to turn around. With the angel in its line of sight, Twinbellows roared and sent three fireballs hurtling towards his prey. Pit tried to dodge, but he had given himself little space, and was caught on the shoulder. Palutena gasped, and the water blackened again, for a longer time.

The angel stumbled back, but he could take it. He stood up straight, and continued to litter Twinbellow's hide with silver arrows. One of the heads howled in fury as the other tried to take a chunk out of Pit's arm. She couldn't see for a second, but she willed the scene to continue. Twinbellows pawed the ground, and prepared to charge at Pit, but the angel didn't move. Palutena clenched her fists in apprehension as she waited for the battle's end that had to come soon. Twinbellows made a sudden movement, and started to run towards Pit; to crush the intruder with its body weight.

Palutena turned away involuntarily, because she couldn't watch Pit getting hurt after getting so close to victory. She forced herself to turn back to the glassy image just in time to see the beast get caught up in a flurry of fiery ash. Where Twinbellows once stood, a small brown container was placed on the ground. Pit grinned and took it onto his shoulder. Then he skipped through the gate, into the Overworld. It was hard to remember how young he was sometimes.

* * *

Palutena was jerked from her uncomfortable rest with the same graceful footsteps. Palutena kept her head low, letting her hair hang over her face like a curtain. Medusa fixed this roughly, by forcing the Goddess of Light to look up at her. Palutena gave a strangled gasp, for her metal collar did not allow that much movement without a punishment.

"The Mirror Shield is gone," Medusa informed her sister coldly. "And so is my good mood."

Palutena compressed a proud smile.

"I suppose this is your doing. I should have been more suspicious of how easy that battle was."

Medusa held out a knarled, purple hand above Palutena's forehead. The Goddess of Light tried to shrink away, but she could hardly move.

"No more mistakes," Medusa promised.

Palutena's world went black.

* * *

**Author's notes: Phew! This chapter was by far the most difficult to write! It took such a long time, and so much research… I still don't like it, and in my opinion, it's the worst so far. I'm sorry :(**

**I have not played the classic Kid Icarus game, and I found it really hard to get a feel for it with Wikipedia. This may just be a chapter that I have to edit in the near future.**

**Thank you so, so, so much to reviewers and readers! When I read a review, I get so absurdly happy! **


	8. Chapter 8

The Overworld had been a pleasant place compared to the Underworld, but it was clearly overrun with monsters. Pit had enjoyed the security of standing on firm ground again, knowing that there was a much smaller chance of plummeting to his… death? He wondered whether he would still reappear in his Underworld cell now that he had made it through the gateway. Regardless of whether he would or not, he was determined to make it through the land unscathed.

The sky was pale grey and misty, and Pit had not been able to see the sun through the fogginess. The sun was a concentration of Lady Palutena's power, that dispersed her light throughout the land. Pit supposed that the light had dispersed when the source of its power had been imprisoned, and that it would run out soon, but he had no idea. He only knew that much because of the stories that Lady Palutena had told him.

He missed her so much. He missed her voice. Her voice was always so gentle, yet commanding. That sound combined with the trust he had invested in her made Pit want to do exactly as she told him. He also missed having her nearby, and being able to rely on her. Strangely enough, he missed the small things that belonged only to her. Like her scent: mint, vanilla and something else. It was all sweet and green, and it was a smell that he had not noticed until he couldn't smell it anymore.

The second gatekeeper had been Hewdraw, and he may well have been tougher than Twinbellows. Well, Pit couldn't compare properly. He had got better and better at fighting, and was much more skilled by the time he reached the second monster. He had also been assisted by the centurions that had been trapped within the fortress. Until that point, Pit had not seen a single member of Palutena's Army, and he was delighted to discover the allies. He did his very best to keep them from harm.

Hewdraw was predictable, but unfortunately, foreseeing its movements didn't really help; it was difficult to evade its attacks. But it didn't shoot anything at Pit, and that helped him focus on his own dodging. There were only so many platforms to stand on, and not one was safe from Hewdraws bouncing attack pattern. The dark purple scales of the serpent were as sharp and jagged as broken blades, and whenever its tail scraped him, Pit cried out in pain.

Pit aimed for its head. It looked slightly less impenetrable, but it was harder to avoid the blazing lava below the platforms when he was jumping so hurriedly. He noted fleetingly that unlike the Hewdraw from Lady Palutena's books, this creature thrived in lava, not water. Its armour must have protected it from the bubbling liquid. Pit envied that ability greatly.

When the Hewdraw finally disappeared into a glittery blue storm mid-bounce, Pit breathed a sigh of relief. He was exhausted. He hopped over to the box, and smiled. Two down, one to go… and then Medusa. His arms and legs ached painfully. The fortress had been so much bigger than the first one, and before heading to Skyworld, he wanted to rest.

* * *

Skyworld had turned black. The sky was bereft of any stars. There was nothing there. It was hard to see anything. It was as if the air itself had blackened, and blocked out everything that he wanted to see. Pit glared out at the path ahead of him, and tried to outline the world around him. It was even darker than the Underworld. His eyes adjusted to it slowly, and his gaze wandered upwards towards the sky. Skyworld. He was glad that the path began on the Overworld, because his flimsy wings could not help him back up through the air.

The clouds had a greenish tinge that he had never seen before, and he was hesitant to stand on one. They could still carry his weight thankfully. He had no idea how he would have got to the top of Skyworld without those platforms. He hastily got to work, shooting shemums with pinpoint accuracy. Pit had been looking forward to returning to his own world, but it was horrible to see what had become of it. It was wrecked and filled with disgusting monsters. He could hardly imagine the area the way it was before.

Pit almost stopped still, but it was unwise to when he was battling the Dark Forces.

"Hey!" Pit yelled. "It's me, Pit! I'm here to get the third Sacred Treasure, to free Lady Palutena!"

Pit smiled at the approaching centurion, but the other warrior did not lift up its helmet. Suddenly, a small, pink creature erupted from the armour and started flying towards the angel. Pit's eyes widened in horror, but his reflexes were quick. He destroyed the one eyed creature, and rushed to the armour that clattered to the ground. Any centurion that had once used the armour was not there any more.

Pit gritted his teeth and stood up again. That armour seemed to represent the whole of Skyworld. Anything that used to be good had been inhabited by parasites and ruined, and when they were removed, Pit was left with empty shells. He powered on with renewed determination.

* * *

Medusa was the Queen of the Three Realms. She was sitting in a throne, in the centre of her sister's conquered palace, in the pinnacle of her world. A sister who had banished her, and turned her into a monster. Medusa smirked, and tried to revel in her own success. It was harder than she would've liked with that petulant angel running around and stealing the treasures. He kept taking out her commanders.

The Goddess of Darkness stood, and drew an inky circle in the air. With a flick of her hands, she expanded the shape until it was large and flat. She returned to her throne, and started watching the live scenes that had appeared on the screen. It was that angel again! She growled in frustration at the sight of him. He was facing Pandora. If he won that battle, he would be coming for her next. Medusa wasn't worried. She just did not want to fight a lowly servant of Palutena's. It was degrading.

Medusa swiped her hand in the air, and the image changed. She could see Palutena in her cell, eyes closed, her face clear of all emotion. The Goddess of Light was obviously out of the picture, so the angel was fighting on his own. Medusa rested her chin on her fist, and sighed. It was so annoying. He just didn't die. She had made the Skyworld fortress massive and complex with hopes that he would simply not make it through. He made it through.

Medusa's ice-blue eyes lingered on the image of her unconscious sibling. It made her feel a bit better to know that after all that Palutena had done, she had won in the end. No little angel was going to change that. Medusa flicked back to watch Pandora and the angel battle. Medusa resisted the urge to stop the stream of footage immediately, for the angel was doing well. Arrows flew from the little bow mechanically, hitting Pandora every time. It made Medusa feel nauseous.

She watched as Pandora rendered herself invisible. The angel seemed startled, but he quickly traced the Underworld commader. Medusa shook her head. That was Pandora's greatest weapon, and it wasn't enough to faze Palutena's boy. She cursed him, and dispersed the image by clawing through the screen. There was no point in watching more, for she knew the battle would end in Pandora's demise.

With all three commanders down, the Three Sacred Treasures were in Palutena's possession once again. Medusa hated how the problem had escalated and she had done nothing about it. Now, the angel would challenge her. She wished that the confrontation would never come.

* * *

Pit walked through the Skworld gate calmly, and regarded the area around him. The palace looked nothing like he remembered. Nothing like the place he had grown up in. It was ruined and crumbling, and it looked like some had fallen out of the sky, and through the grey clouds below them. Pit sighed, and sat down on the marble platform beneath him. He guessed that the further away from Medusa, the weaker her darkening affects were. The marble beneath him was almost pure white - the way it should have been.

Pit glanced at the three cases, and smiled. He had done as his Goddess had asked, and now he had a real chance of freeing her. He jumped to his feet and clicked the latches of all three boxes. First, he lifted out the Mirror shield, and then the Arrows of Light. Finally, he lifted out the Wings of Pegasus. He examined the gorgeous feathers and ghosted his fingers over the fine handiwork. He would finally be able to fly by himself.

He equipped all three briskly, and flew towards the Goddess of Darkness.

* * *

**Author's notes: I feel like we're nearing the end of this story, but we're really not. I have plenty up my sleeve! **

**In the original Kid Icarus game, there are five endings, and suddenly, I can't choose which one to go for. I've created a poll, so please answer as soon as possible for a quicker chaoter update. I only need a few responses.**

**Important notice: I could not have done the last chapter without the inspiration I got from a fanfiction called 'An Angel in Hell' by Shadsie. His/hers is much better than mine, and I recommend it!**


	9. Chapter 9

Continuous fire. He sent the silver darts hurtling towards as many enemies as he could, but he could not bring down every enemy. It was infuriating! With his newly acquired flying ability, it was harder to control his shots whilst moving. He had to keep his eyes straight ahead, and didn't dare look up and down, so he could only destroy the monsters he was in line with. Despite this, the sensation of the light breeze under his wings felt surreal.

Pit sighed at the masses of flying enemies, that he tried to wipe out. He could only wipe out a few per wave, and it irritated him. If he defeated Medusa, the Sky Temple would still be infested with flying monsters. However, the Arrows of Light were much more effective than his others, and that made life much easier. The Mirror Shield was not as beneficial. It would have been so useful to have had it before, but none of the flying monsters shot anything that he could reflect.

The boy focused on dodging. He wanted to get to the Goddess of Darkness as soon as possible, and preferably, in top condition. A flock of Syrens swooped into his vision, and Pit shot them down instinctively. He had more than enough hearts, so he did not go out of his way to collect the new ones.

Instantaneously, Pit stopped. He looked around, with vexation evident across his face. He had been here before. There were gaps in the monsters' formation where he had cut his pathway, just moments prior.

An eerie laugh filled his ears and mind.

_To earn my personal attention, you will have to do better than that, angel. If you can't take out my army, you are clearly not ready for our confrontation._

Pit bared his teeth, and took a different route through the enemies, clearing the way with conviction. He shot as many creatures as he could, giving none of them a second thought. He was becoming more accustomed to his new powers of flight, so he could use his bow more confidently. As their numbers dwindled, each monster screeched and headed straight forward to tackle the challenger. Pit noted grimly how few monsters had evaded his killing spree.

He looked around again, and gladly realised that his surroundings had changed. Though it was physically similar to the previous area, a sense of foreboding weighed down the air. His relief flipped to fear in a matter of seconds. If his hunch was correct, he was heading straight to Medusa. He was flying towards the Goddess who had dominated all three realms, and imprisoned the most important Goddess in existence. His Goddess.

What was he doing?

All of a sudden, all light was snuffed out. Pit thought that he had been blinded, but the gloomy light returned slowly. He almost wished that it hadn't. All he could see was a huge, vulgar, luminescent orange eye. He readied his arrow, and tried to gather his strength. He let the arrow fly, but it hardly seemed to hinder the enormous, dilated pupil. He backed away, trying his best to look away. Medusa's glare did not effect celestial beings as strongly as mortals, but his limbs and thoughts seemed to be slowing.

He focused on the area around the eye. Cracked green skin was beginning to show in the growing light, and it gave him something other than the iris to focus on. He shot again and again as Medusa cackled.

_So, you made it this far? I'm quite impressed._

Pit was shocked to see the Goddess's true face. He had only ever seen the beauteous, pale face that she had paraded around with before the invasion. He assumed that she was trying to intimidate him, or that her powers worked better in that form. Either way, he found it hard to look upon her disgusting complexion as he sent a rain of arrows flying towards her.

* * *

Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.

The sound pierced her mind like an icy dagger, and it echoed through her mind.

Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.

She could feel it. Heavy droplets of water, landing on her neck and hair. It was cold.

Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.

Palutena stirred, and breathed deeply. It was freezing cold, and wet. She opened her emerald green eyes,and looked around. There were stalactites and stalagmites all around her, and water was dripping off them rhythmically. Small pools and tiny rivers had formed in the uneven, rocky floor. She was in her cell. She had clearly been there for quite a while. Medusa had rendered her unconscious.

She sat up straight. Her collar had gone, and so had the chains that had bound her ankles. She rose on shaky legs to stand with her head held high. Her joints were agonisingly stiff and weak, but the new freedom of movement she possesed lightened her spirits greatly. Her hands were still restricted, but the chains seemed longer and allowed more room to move.

Palutena sat again. Why had she been granted better conditions? Why was she even conscious? She looked down at the stone floor, and saw the inky pool that had once served her as a scrying material. Nothing was shown in its murky surface now. A familiar wave of doubt and worry washed over the Goddess when she realised that she had no way of knowing what was going on outside. Was Pit okay? The last time she had seen him, he had collected the Mirror Shield. Who knew how long ago that had been? For all she knew, he could have been at the mercy of Medusa by that point. For all she knew, that could have happened centuries ago.

But why would Medusa choose to wake her now? Palutena's thoughts were disrupted by a sound that she had only just noticed. It was the sound of a chaotic, confused and murderous multitude of monsters, far away… Above her. She listened intently, but all she could hear was low growls and gutteral bellowing. She supposed that her awakening was something to do with the discord in the upper parts of the temple. If she could hear it from down in the cold, isolated area she lived in, it had to be big.

* * *

The bulbous orange eye was enveloped in a scaly eyelid, but it opened again quickly. The pupil of the eye was burning pale blue. Pit gasped, and tried to avoid its bright glare. The eye followed him with ease. It expressed much more malevolent glee than Pit thought a lone eye could accomplish, the pupil glowing brighter and brighter. Pit looked away when it hurt too much to look forward, fearing his eminent burning.

His skin felt like it was blistering, but there was no pain. He looked down and grinned. The mirror shield was absorbing the harmful beam, and preventing any injuries. His smile dropped when he realised that he couldn't use his bow if his front was protected by the shield. He had to wait for Medusa to stop, even though the eye must have been weaker as it attacked. Pit tried to move out of the line of fire, but the beam followed him consistently.

As soon as the laser paled and disappeared, Pit started attacking harder than he had before. He aimed for the centre of her pupil, knowing that attacking her greatest weapon could not fail badly. The only problem with that plan was that it may not have been her greatest weapon.

"Gah!" Pit yelped. A snake had wriggled free of its owner's tresses and came flying towards the angel. The serpent headed straight towards the ground, but then bounded back up to Pit. Pit was caught off guard, and almost had his feet removed unintentionally. Pit glanced behind him to check that the snake no longer posed a threat. Then there was a blast of light and pain that had snuck past his shield. He yelled, and used all his strength to bring his barrier back up to protect himself. He sighed with relief, but his wounds were still throbbing. The beam dispersed again, and Pit backed away into the corner to escape more snakes. They reminded him of Thanatos, and he didn't appreciate the memories.

As soon as he saw the opportunity, he flew down to bombard the Goddess with arrows. Each silver dart hit the pinnacle of Medusa's pupil, and Pit began to see the effect he was having on the Goddess. Her movements were becoming sluggish and slow, but Pit was also getting weaker. Pit flapped his wings harder as the snakes below him snapped at his toes. It took a lot of effort to stay airborne for so long.

He fixed his eyes on the Goddess. If his wings couldn't hold him up for much longer, he was going to bring her down with him.

* * *

Palutena listened intently, and came to a conclusion. Medusa was being challenged. Her army was waiting for the outcome, and they weren't doing that patiently. The Goddess of Darkness's powers were being stretched. Palutena could feel the raw power of the other deity. It was easy to tell that her sister had lost her mask of beauty. The mask took a lot of energy, and it was clear that Medusa was doing everything in her power to destroy the threat. The concealment spell that changed her appearance restricted her abilities.

Did Palutena dare believe that the threat to Medusa was Pit? There was a chance, surely.

Medusa was making a brave wager. If she was defeated in her true form, that would be it for her. In fact, Palutena got the feeling that the battle wasn't going too well for Medusa. It was going so badly, that Medusa could not keep her hostage nearly as effectively. A smile flickered at the corners of Palutena's lips at that thought. The power draining chains were no longer weighing down her shoulders or dragging at her heels… so why shouldn't she be able to use more power?

She pursed her lips, and summoned all the power she could. She tried to imagine the sound she wanted to hear most, and then materialise it. Promptly, her ears detected a quiet snapping noise before the chains on her hands crashed to the floor. She brought her hands to her front, to look at them smuggly. They looked just the way she remembered them. Being able to move her arms again felt better than all other successes for a moment. She stood up, and twirled a few times to check her balance. She felt fine. Better than fine. She could already feel the rush of power returning to her veins, back from Medusa. She hoped that now she wasn't a living battery for her sister, Medusa would weaken.

Palutena looked around for an exit, and spotted the black bars quickly. It would take quite a while to burn through them. That was disappointing. But she felt closer to liberation than ever.

* * *

Pit felt faint. He was hanging on by a thread. He did not miss though. Medusa's eye looked painful and irritated, but Pit would have been heartbroken if it had looked healthier. He had put every essence of his strength into his mission, and if he couldn't see the result, he wouldn't have been able to power on.

Medusa screeched in anger as he hit her eye again. Pit backed away mechanically to avoid the snakes, lifted his shield to absorb the rays and then moved forward to attack the eye. He knew the enemy's attacks by heart, but he just couldn't do enough damage. One more slip up, and it was over.

He picked up his feet to evade the reptile's jaws again, and held the Mirror shield to his chest. It felt so heavy. His hair felt charred, and it hung in his face. He drew in a ragged breath, and took another shot at the Goddess.

She disappeared.

Instantly, Pit was on guard, but he didn't need to be. In the space that her head had once taken up, a human-sized lady fell onto her knees and vanished, once and for all. The darkness started to fade, as if it had always been placed over the top of Lady Palutena's light and was being lifted away. He had defeated Medusa. Skyworld was going to return to normal. He could see Lady Palutena again.

He could've dropped to the floor and slept, but there was something more important to do.

* * *

**Author's notes: Sorry for the wait! But thank you for your feedback in the poll. I was going to write the ending in this chapter, but I think it would fit better in the next. This chapter was too long anyway. **

**So, Medusa has been defeated, and Palutena is almost free. It's all looking up!**

**Thank you so, so, so much for every review! I want the next chapter to be up tomorrow, so I'll d_o _my best to write quickly.**


	10. Chapter 10

Palutena ran up the steps as quickly as she could, noticing joyfully how things were returning to the way they had been before her imprisonment. She ran her fingers along the marble hand rails, and watched as they whitened and returned to a regular shape. A moment ago, she had been exhausted after burning through the thick, metal bars that had kept her from escaping. But a rush of energy left her feeling ready for anything. Even ready to speak to her sister.

She could recognise areas of the temple now that it was clear again. She followed her senses towards the entrance hall, but stopped outside the archway before her. Medusa had been defeated. There was no deity in the room to reason with. Nobody to try and mend the rift with. Palutena had wanted to speak to Medusa properly, so badly. She had wanted to apologise, to recieve an apology and to set things right. It would be a long time before she would get an opportunity to do so again.

Palutena stepped back from the doors, trying to collect her emotions. There was a lump in her throat. She looked down at the floor. The marble was as grey as stone, but the colour was changing rapidly. Where was Medusa now? Palutena had never experienced anything like death, and she hoped she never would.

* * *

Pit was a little bit suspicious of walking through the area where Medusa had been, but it was the best option. The space was a bit like a tunnel, but it was light and elegant. He had got so used to the fog, night, shadows and darkness that he had forgotten how much he appreciated the light, open spaces. The end of the tunnel was nice and bright, and he smiled as he drew nearer. Before he stepped out, he stopped to take care of his appearance. His hair was dirty, and it defied gravity. He tried to comb it through with his fingers, and straightened his tunic. He could tell that he still looked grimy though.

It was Lady Palutena. That was the first thing he saw when he emerged. She was looking down at the ground, with her hands clasped in front of her. Pit's serious expression broke into a smile. She wasn't hurt. She wasn't even in a prison, as he had feared. He cleared his throat, and she looked up in alarm, as if wrenched from thought.

"Lady Palutena?"

Pit's brow creased as he looked over at her. He could see tears forming in her eyes, but he was quite sure that they were the good type.

Lady Palutena seemed to struggle with words before she swallowed, hard.

"Thank you, Pit."

* * *

There were no words to describe the gratitude she felt. 'Thank you' didn't cover it by any means, but it was a start. She took a long breath before trying to explain her emotions.

"I didn't believe that it was possible for anyone to do what you have done, Pit." Palutena attempted to begin her speech. "I've never known any angel do something so heroic and successful. Without your efforts, all three Realms would've fallen into darkness and chaos."

Palutena met the wide, bright blue eyes of the child, and her lips curved gently. "Just… thank you, Pit."

The thing she loved most about him at that moment, was that she knew he understood. He knew how much he meant to her. More tears sprung to her eyes, but she blinked them away, and returned to the matter at hand.

"After all you've done for Skyworld, I think you should get something in return."

* * *

Pit hesitated. What did he want? Had someone asked him that a few hours ago, he would have asked for Lady Palutena's freedom. But he had earned that for himself. What more was there? He had his home, and his Goddess, and he was fine. Now, all he could hope for was for everything to stay safe. And he wanted to help.

"I-I… I want to be in your army, Lady Palutena." Pit stammered, slightly nervous.

Lady Palutena's emerald-coloured eyes widened, and her expression softened. "Oh, Pit…"

"Can I, Lady Palutena?"

"Pit, I never, ever want to put you in danger again." Lady Palutena said fondly, the smile returning to her lips. Pit stuck out his lower lip stubbornly.

"But Lady Palutena-"

"How old are you, Pit?"

"I'm eight." he replied proudly.

"Are you really?"

"I'm almost eight!"

"Right." Lady Palutena agreed. "I'm amazed and delighted that you have displayed all these impressive acts of strength, but you are still just a little boy."

Pit sniffed. "I'm not."

Lady Palutena shook her head slowly, smiling. She drew nearer to her angel, and knelt in front of him.

"Please, Lady Palutena!" Pit whispered desperately. "I can help! I defeated Medusa, and I want to… I can… Please?"

Lady Palutena leaned forward and kissed his cheek softly, in an attempt to console him. He looked bewildered at the contact. The Goddess realised that he probably couldn't remember the last time she had shown any physical signs of motherly affection. He had grown up so fast… and she hadn't changed a bit. It was only a matter of time before he would be fully grown, and she didn't know what would happen after that. She didn't know what she would do without her little angel.

"I will allow you to train as my personal guard, Pit." Lady Palutena relented tentatively. She stood up, and stepped away. "Here-" a silver helmet with a crimson plume appeared on his head with a flash of blue light, "-this helmet is the mark of the Captain. You can keep it until you're old enough, and strong enough to earn that position. Is that okay with you?"

She could see Pit's bright eyes shining under the metal headgear. "Yes, Lady Palutena."

His voice sounded almost awed at his own achievement.

"It's a big responsibility, Pit. Are you sure that this is what you want?" Lady Palutena tested him.

"Yes, yes!" Pit responded eagerly, nodding so hard that his helmet slipped down. "I'll train with the centurions everyday."

Palutena's heart sank, and her smile faltered.

"Well, Pit," she began cheerily after a short pause, "You look like a Mudrone in all that dirt!"

Palutena waved a hand at him, and his toga regained its pristine white colour.

"You must be tired after all of your adventuring!" Palutena guessed.

Pit stuck out his chest. "I'm fine, Lady Palutena."

"It's dark out," she gestured to the blackness of the sky over her open balcony. "Bedtime!"

"But-"

Palutena cut him off by shrouding him in a silver column of light, that disappeared promptly. She noticed a trail of muddy footprints that he had left behind, and her heart lightened a tiny bit.

She tried to recall what Medusa had told her about darkness in light. She had guessed some of it before. Her powers relied on her own, internal light, and darkness around her damaged her power supply. The worry and anxiety of battle had done just that. But Pit… he had already protected her more than he would ever know.

Alone, she walked over to her balcony, and looked out at the abandoned realm. There wasn't a soul out there, of any kind. There weren't even any Underworld stragglers. Hopefully she would be able to do something about that soon. But for the time being, it was just her, and Pit, in a kingdom of ghosts.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Heh, heh.**

**…**

**…**

**This was really, really terrible. The writing, I mean. Phew. And, I haven't updated in ages. I was writing my own novel, and I just thought that I needed to give that 101%. **

**And this is the shortest chapter yet!**

**I actually found it really difficult to decide on the ending, even with my poll. I was torn between Best ending, and Guard Captain ending... and we ended up with that. I'm sorry. :(**


	11. Chapter 11

Her shoes could do little to protect her from the indigo and scarlet flames that were blooming on the earth around her. The fire blackened the hems of her dress, and danced painfully around her ankles. It hurt. It hurt a lot, but it didn't mark her skin. She took an ill-spent second to frown before focusing on levitating. It was so hard to use her powers; she had to strain to keep herself aloft for even a second. The heat was getting to her.

The ground was falling away. She couldn't stop levitating, but she couldn't keep herself airborne for much longer. What would happen to her if she fell into a violet inferno? As she watched, the fire below her turned blood red and burned ever higher. For as far as she could see, there was nothing but a crimson wave. Where was she? Where was-

"Pit!" Palutena cried. There was nothing to hear, but the deafening crackle of a torrent of fire.

Suddenly, the fire turned blue again. But it was no longer fire. Palutena squinted down, breathing heavily with the effort of levitating. There were turbulent waves of water below her, reaching up to grab the Goddess, and then sinking back down. The water was almost black; too murky to see anything below the surface of the ocean.

She scrunched her eyes shut, and used every drop of power she could to avoid the water. But either it was creeping upwards, or she was descending towards it.

"Pit!" she screamed desperately. "Pit!"

She couldn't keep up any more. The still air whistled in her ears as she fell towards the blackness. She could hear her own screams reverberating inside her head, but she could hear something more. It was a harsh, booming sound. It was a roar.

* * *

Palutena sat up, shaking. A sense of relief flooded through her veins, but she was still shocked. What had that been? Her heart was hammering in her chest, as she flung off the covers and slipped out of the bed. She caught sight of herself in the mirror, and stopped still. Her hair was tousled and messy, unlike it had ever been before, as if she had been writhing in her sleep.

She had never had a dream before. Never. And certainly never a nightmare. She shook her head, and brought herself back to reality. She waved her hand over her hair, and it straightened. That was satisfying. Not only did her powers flow freely - unlike they had in her dream - but regaining her elegant hairstyle helped her feel in control of the situation. She gestured to her nightdress briefly, and it shifted into her day clothes.

She didn't feel like facing the day at all. But it was Pit's second mastering ceremony, and she wouldn't have missed it for anything. She could develop her suspicions later. She walked over to her wide windows to see the arena. The centurions were swooping down over the building, shooting down at the unseen, faux enemy inside. That was Pit.

Palutena pictured her private viewing box, and blinked slowly. When her green eyes opened, she was in the exact position she had imagined seconds before. She put her hands on the open window frame before her, and beamed down at the scene unfolding on the ground floor of the arena. Pit was deflecting arrows left, right and centre… and from above and below. Palutena had allowed him to use the Wings of Pegasus while he was in training. It would have been heartless of her to take them from him after he had grown so accustomed to them. He was a natural flyer, and it was wonderful to watch him spiralling through the air.

When he caught sight of her, he stopped moving, mid-flight, and waved. She waved back regally, with a bright smile. As a pair of arrows curved towards him from behind, she gasped and gestured to them frantically. It was unnecessary action; he had it covered.

True to his word, Pit had been training every day since Medusa's defeat. He wanted to be the Captain of her Guard so badly. She was very proud of his progress. It was almost ridiculous how he mastered weapons so quickly. After getting the hang of the blade, he had made short work of the new weapon. It looked strange - such a small boy with a blade that was more than half his size. He had strength beyond his years.

Pit took the offensive, charging his weapon and shooting down centurions. He always got them on the chestplate, and was careful to avoid true injury. The angel dropped to the ground, and turned on his heels to attack the warriors behind him. He flipped - jumping backwards onto his hands - and slashed opponants on their armour. Palutena's knuckles were white, as she clenched the frame. She had never seen Pit battle so violently. His training used to be about protecting himself, but now it was about truly inflicting harm. She could never get used to seeing him battle.

She still saw the baby that she had taken in so long ago. She had read about that in human literature… it was something to do with mothers and their children. But Pit wasn't her child. She knew that. One day, he would be fully grown - perhaps he would look even older than her at that point. But although he would still sound, look and act older, the Goddess of Light would always feel older. Palutena couldn't convince herself that she didn't wish Pit would stay young, but she had a long time to accept it. Who knew how many human years there would be in that time?

At that thought, Pit took down the final centurion. He returned to the air with an ear-to-ear grin on his face. The centurions flocked back into the centre, some with grudging, admiring expressions, and others with blank boredom on their faces. Every single centurion turned to face the Goddess, and they all bowed to her reverently. Pit, who was the only soldier standing, stood in the middle of the centurions, glowing with happiness. In synchronisation, the centurions put their right fist on their heart, and waited.

Palutena did as her centurions had done, and put her hand over her heart.

"In oculis de deae, Pit est magister gladium!*" Palutena announced loudly. The centurions cheered in unison, and even from her high vantage point, she thought she could see Pit's cheeks reddening. He deserved everything he had earned.

* * *

At the thought of sleep that evening, memories of the previous night returned to her heavily. She sent Pit to bed before donning her travelling cloak. On her way back to the entrance hall, she paused outside Pit's bedroom. Palutena could hear soft, snuffly breathing inside already, and a smile tugged at the corners of her lips. She ghosted her fingers over the four corners of the door, forming a large rectangle in blue light that faded quickly. Then she traced a few more patterns before stepping back.

"Power of protection," she whispered pointlessly, with the hope that saying the words outloud would help in some small way. She walked briskly to the entrance hall, and stopped for a second time. She had not been to the Soothsayer for many centuries, but she could still remember its dwelling. When she looked around again, she was in a vaguely familiar cave. The smell of spices and herbs told her that she was exactly where she had hoped she would be.

Technically, she was in the Underworld, but the Soothsayer's home was considered common ground for all deities. It was beautiful in its own way, with smooth rock walls and pale blue crystals that lit the stone.

"Can I help you, Lady Palutena?"

The Goddess spun around to see the hunched figure that had spoken. It was fully cloaked in black, and it seemed to blend in with the cave wall.

"Oh, erm, yes." Palutena answered uncomfortably. The Soothsayer never failed to intimidate her, as old as it was. "I had… a dream."

"A dream?"

"Yes."

"How unusual." its voice sounded as cracked and broken as she would've imagined. "Have you had dreams before?"

"No," Palutena hastened to answer. "Never."

"I see…" the Soothsayer responded ominously. It hobbled over to a cauldron on the far side of the cave, and gestured for her to follow. The mixture within was unimpressive - black paste that had settled at the bottom of the bowl. Before she could register what was happening, the Soothsayer reached out and yanked a long strand of hair from her head. She stared at the single strand, as it was dropped into the tar-like substance.

Immediately, the substance turned blinding gold. Palutena tried to gauge the Soothsayer's reaction, but she couldn't see its face through the hood. She didn't look away as it plucked small pots from the shelves, knowingly, and added pinches of powder to the mix. As the Goddess looked on, the liquid darkened until the last ingredient was added. It had turned deep red.

"The meaning of this is clear," the Soothsayer told her slowly.

"What - what is it?"

"This dream of the Goddess of Light… it is a premonition of an invasion, by the hands of a demon."

* * *

**Author's Notes: * 'In oculis de deae, Pit est magister gladium' means 'In the eyes of the Goddess, Pit is a Master of Swords.'**

**Advanced Latin, right? I'm not sure that it's a perfect translation, but it'll have to do. I have no idea what 'blades' is, so I said 'swords' for simplicity's sake.**

**I'm not entirely sure what was going on in my head while I wrote this, but I really enjoyed it! I prefer writing domestic stuff instead of action, so it was nice to get back to Skyworld. But now there's another war! Sheesh. **

**I was really heartened by the reviews left for the last chapter, so I tried to write quickly! I owe those three (Shadsie, Leafily Sylviestar and Guest) thanks for a whole chapter's motivation. **

**Thank you so much for reading and reviewing!**


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